Federal Minister for Climate Change Zahid Hamid Monday informed the National Assembly that Pakistan has become 8th country in the world, which is being affected by climate change. The minister while replying to questions of the members said that earlier Pakistan was the 10th country in the world now it has reached at 8th number. He said that Pakistan was being severally affected due to climate change in the world adding that it poses a major challenge for us in future.

He said that due to climate change changes are occurring in the seasons and floods are coming in the country. He said that ozone layer of atmosphere is also being affected due to climate change. The Minister said that a process has been initiated to prepare the Climate Change Adaptation Plan in collaboration with the United Nations Environment Programme.

To a supplementary question, he said studies indicate glaciers are melting at Hindukush mountain range while there are conflicting reports about melting of glaciers on Karakoram Range. He said international experts are being approached for authentic studies on the issue.

He said that the government has taken number of steps during the last three years (2013-16) to mitigate the impacts of climate change in the country. He said that a comprehensive policy and frame work is being prepared about climate change. He said that framework for implementation of national climate change policy – 2014 identifies initiatives to be undertaken by the concerned federal and provincial government departments for both adaptation and mitigation.

The Minister said that his Ministry along with UN Habitat, Capital Development Authority and ICT administration assistance undertook a study “Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment of Islamabad.” He said that the study revels that the city of Islamabad and its surrounding is exposed to a host of factors accelerating climate change impacts such as erratic behaviour and marked changes in the intensity, frequency and variability of temperature, precipitation, floods, droughts, cyclones etc. He said that extreme weather events recorded so far in Islamabad include highest maximum temperature of 46.6 C on 24th June 2005 and lowest at 4.3 C on 25th December 1984. He said that in 2001 heaviest rainfall of 621 mm was recorded in 10 hours.

He said that preparation of Pakistan’s Second National Communication (SNC) on Greenhouse Gases (GHG) emission has also been initiated. He said that this will be a three year study leading to stocktaking of all GHG emission in Pakistan with option of mitigation and adoption actions.